In The Depths Of Winter
by TectonicPlatez
Summary: Mythos University is the school of legend. With her old friends gone and Jack growing ever distant, Tooth wonders if growing up or love is really all it's cracked to be. From supermodels to supergeniuses, from plagiarizers to football stars, from 'code red' lockdowns to overdoses, Tooth faces it all...fighting desperately not to lose herself in the process. AU. Rating might change.
1. First Day at MU

**AN: Whoops, turned out to be two years. Last year was a horrible year for me, but no excuses. I'm trash.**

**Please forgive me for the absence! I appreciate everyone who has followed and reviewed and waited this long when they shouldn't have had to. Anyone still cares about this story, you're appreciated.**

**This story WILL be a bit different from the first TCTB. Whereas the first was very innocent, this one will delve into darker and more adult themes. I might change the rating on it. There will be swearing, mentions of drugs, alcohol, and sexual mentions. I want it to be a realistic college setting while still maintaining the magic that all these characters possess in their original myths. There will be different fairy tales mentioned as well.**

**For such a long wait, I'm afraid that this sequel might not meet the expectations readers have for it. I will try my best anyways. Personally, I feel like this sequel is starting out a bit slow and dry, no matter how I edited it. Trust and believe things will get better as things go on.**

**I really do hope you like it. **

* * *

><p><strong>:ABOUT MYTHOS UNIVERSITY:<strong>

_Here at Mythos University, we take pride in our excellence in academics, research, and developing the new wave of leaders who will write their own stories worldwide._

_Our students are some of the brightest from all backgrounds. At this university, there are many disciplines to choose from for shaping up your academic profile. Undergraduates pursue degrees ranging from Engineering to Philosophies._

_Campus activities are constant and the number of clubs is endless. The Greek system here at MU is centuries old; the houses for fraternities and sororities are historical residences._

_With our new influx of talented and engaging professors, MU looks forward to seeing the university exceed any and all standards, moving forward into a better, brighter age._

_Sincerely,_

_Co-Presidents **Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm**, along with Vice-President **Scheherazade of Arabia**._

* * *

><p>"Goodbyes, they often come in waves."<p>

_-Jarod Kintz_

* * *

><p>"Bye, Tooth!"<p>

She waved back as the car pulled out of the campus lot. The soft wind blew the damp tracks in her shirt to a chilling temperature. Her father had gotten a little emotional when it was time to leave. Though her own cheeks remained dry, her throat was still tight from the sad look in her mother's the misty eyes. However, a strong pride shone past the sadness, overtaking everything else.

She was their college girl now.

Tooth would be alright, but watching them leave made her chest ache. The scene was entirely too familiar to another that she had two summers before.

_Don't forget me._

_"_Hey." An older boy in a work shirt sidled up beside her and watched the vehicle fade before speaking.

"Those your folks?"

She nodded, biting her lip before turning to look up at the spiraling towers and old brick buildings. Her new home. "Yeah."

The boy motioned over some other kids in work shirts to help as he hefted up Tooth's trunk. "Don't be nervous, freshman. The first couple of weeks away are the hardest. You'll get used to being on your own."

Tooth tried to help the group carry her things toward the residence halls. "I'm not completely on my own!"

The older boy looked up at that, smirking. "You got any friends here at Mythos with you? Someone from your old school?"

She grinned.

The boy shrugged. "And here I thought I'd be your first friend, as your RA and all! C'mon, through these doors here-"

She followed him closely into the lobby. Several other students were bustling around, moving trunks this way and that. She wasn't surprised to see the nervousness and fear in some of the other faces looking back at her among the commotion. Everyone was in a new environment, not sure what to do. It was like a big 'reset' button on their lives and reputations but some kids seemed too scared to push it. Others looked eager and ready, like they had been waiting their entire lives for the chance.

"This way!"

She would be going to school with all these people? So many! There were probably more people here than there were back home in all of Burgess. They passed through more hallways than she could count. The school was so massive…then again, it was one of the oldest universities. Her RA suddenly stopped her train of thought, knocking on a door.

"Alright! Here we are, Door 364. Your roommate should already be in there I assume. Like I said before, I'm your Resident Assistant. You need help with anything, my room is in the middle of the hall. Come find me anytime. Oh, and uh, welcome to Mythos University!"

Tooth nodded and thanked him. He was so helpful! But what would her rooommate be like? Would they be excited to see her? Would they be happy? Or apathetic? Neat and clean or sloppy and strange? Mean or kind? Hm. She would never find out if she never went inside.

Peering into the dark room curiously, she toed her way in. She lugged her trunk over by an unoccupied bed and tried to gaze around. With the lights off and the shades drawn, she could hardly make out anything.

"Huh," she murmured, searching for the light switch, "I thought he said my roommate was here already. Maybe they left-"

"…Or _**maybe** _they prefer dark rooms."

_'Oh my god!' _Tooth jumped noisily before swiveling her head around.

A long, slender female sat on the other side of the room. She was unsurprised and seemingly unimpressed by Tooth's reaction. The dorm lighting reflected off of her pale skin making the color on her lips even more vibrant.

"Did I frighten you?" A hint of pleasure tinged the slow, sultry voice.

Tooth paused before nodding jerkily, her long hair bouncing around. It wasn't like anyone just sat around in dark rooms in the middle of the day! Of course it had scared her! Her heart was still racing from the shock.

A wicked smile drew up the girls face and she laughed heartily.

Tooth would have been far more annoyed…if she hadn't caught sight of her roommate's _marvelous_ teeth! The lips around them were painted a dark red making the teeth look even brighter than normal. The rows were straight-set like a knife's edge except for a slight curve in the middle. Tooth thought it gave the girl's smile character. She needed to sketch them!

She moved in closer, awed at the precise formation.

"You have beautiful teeth…they're perfect. The curvature between your premolars is just divine!"

The girl stopped laughing, looking Tooth over strangely, as if she hadn't expected the smaller girl to speak of her own volition, much less get so close and compliment her. The nameless roommate let her red lips purse together and looked around trying to think of what to say.

"I wouldn't say 'perfect'," her eyes flicking back up sharply, "however I _am _your new roommate. I'm Maleficent."

She stood.

Tooth gasped, a bit taken aback by the girl's imposing height. With her sharp features and bright eyes, Tooth felt very tiny in her presence. Maleficent strode her long legs across the room and reached beside her bed. She moved aside a few dark bags before pulling out a huge mass of black feathers.

"…And this one's name is Diaval, or Diablo, if you prefer. He's going to live with us and you're not going to tell anyone that he's here."

Tooth's lip quirked at that.

This girl seemed to be trying very hard to give off a hostile vibe, but Tooth felt like there wasn't any real bite behind the words. The feathery thing in her roommate's hands, on the other hand, looked _extremely_ hostile and grumpy as hell.

"And what if I do? Tell someone, I mean. You know pets aren't allowed in the dorms at Mythos. Is that a crow?"

Maleficent let out a small chuckle, stroking the bird. "You tell a soul, and I can make life very difficult for you here…But you don't look like the sort that starts trouble. And _he_ is a raven, not a crow. They're bigger. He's housetrained, if you're wondering."

Tooth moved towards the bird, gently pushing a finger through its shiny black feathers. Its expression became considerably less grumpy. "It's alright with me. Just make sure he doesn't chirp at night."

Maleficent's brows nearly hit her hairline as Tooth continued to poke at the bird. "He likes you... Usually he takes the fingers that touch him. Except for mine, of course."

Tooth smiled at that, glad to have gotten on their pet's good side. "Then Diablo and I will get along just fine. I hope we get along well the same, Maleficent."

Maleficent peered down at Tooth curiously, before moving away.

"I'm Toothiana," Tooth began as she followed after, "but you can call me Tooth. All my friends do."

Maleficent paused at the word and Tooth had a feeling it wasn't over her name. More like the word 'friend'. Still, Tooth wasn't put off in the slightest! She desperately wanted to be friends with Maleficent…no matter how prickly she seemed to be.

Slowly, her slender roommate turned before giving a carefully constructed grin. "Toothiana…I'm not a kind person, and I can admit that much. I am bound to hurt your feelings, sooner rather than later. Are you sure you want to be 'friends'?"

Seeing as how her roommate was making such a fuss about it, Tooth pondered.

She eyed Maleficent closely.

She looked at the dark bed and the dark posters and the dark clothing hanging in the dark closet. She eyed the creepy lava lamp on Maleficent's desk, the thorny vanity mirror, and the lines of razor sharp heels underneath the bed. She even glanced towards the large, grumpy raven.

Well. The girl certainly wasn't _conventional_, but neither was Tooth! And Tooth couldn't even remember the last time she had a real friendship with another female. Maleficent didn't seem 'fake' or 'phony'. What Tooth was seeing was what she was going to get and she kind of appreciated that about her roommate. Besides, Tooth had just gotten here to this university! Only two of her friends from Burgess had come with her, and she couldn't bother_ them_ 24/7. They would make new friends undoubtedly so she needed to find her own as well.

"You don't scare me. I doubt that you're a bully. Personally, I think you're just shy. You don't have to be shy around me, we'll get along great!" she held out her hand towards the girl.

Maleficent couldn't hold in the look of uncertainty that struck her face before placing her hand in Tooth's.

"I'm not shy! And don't say I didn't warn you." She turned away again to stare into her vanity, sitting down and pulling out a makeup brush.

Tooth smirked, sprawling back on the bed and humming happily. Time to get to know her new friend!

"So where are you from, Maleficent?"

Maleficent didn't miss a beat. "Please don't tell me that you're a talker. I can't stand inane chatter."

"Don't be nervous, tell me! We're friends now and all." Tooth rolled on her stomach, fluffing her pillow. Just from the few minutes she had known the other girl, she deducted a few things. Maleficent had constant 'bitch-face' and didn't seem to take genuine kindness too well. She was also devastatingly pretty, in a gothic kind of way. Tooth felt like she should be scared or intimidated, but she couldn't bring herself to be.

She didn't know why she felt so comfortable around Maleficent. She just _did_. That had to mean something, right? She hoped she wasn't wrong about her roommate, because if she was...well...Maleficent could definitely take Tooth in a fight.

Maleficent rolled her eyes before continuing to stare into her mirror. "Moors."

"Huh?"

"Where I'm _from._ You asked, didn't you?"

"Where's Moors?"

"Far away."

"Why come to this school?"

"Because it's even further away."

"What are you studying?"

"How to keep talkative roommates from talking so much. You?"

"How to keep shy roommates from being so shy!"

Tooth grinned at the sound of Maleficent's exasperated laugh.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Jackson<strong>? Jackson Overland Frost? Hi, I'm your new roommate!"

Jack wandered into the room, looking around at the small dimensions. He didn't mind the size. He could adapt. He was just glad they had a window and a nice view.

Focusing his attention back on the other boy in the room Jack attempted not to gag on the cheer emanating off of the other guy.

He was going to relax. Thaw out a bit. 'Play nice'.

Tooth had told him earlier to be nice to whoever he ended up rooming with. To talk to them, and ask questions. As _if_ he wasn't nice. It's just...this guy's unnatural cheer was irritating him on a deep level, for some reason.

And Mythos was...big, to say the least.

Jack hadn't been nervous registering for classes. He hadn't been nervous on the drive up there. He hadn't even been nervous about Uncle Moon saying he would pay Jack 'surprise visits at school'.

But walking through campus...seeing all the new faces...his own face was stoic, but Jack's hands shook like a newborn babe's. He was horribly nervous. He had _thought_ it would be a fresh start. Where no one knew about the things he'd done. It didn't feel that way though. Instead it felt like being thrown into the sea without a life vest. Did he even belong in college...?

_Good luck!_

Jack was fighting the desire to relapse back into his old ways: shutting everything out and going cold again.

"**Jackson**?"

He immediately realized that he had been daydreaming on his roommate.

"Hey," he greeted, nodding. "Just 'Jack' is fine. I, ah, didn't catch your name-?"

"Rudolph! But you can call me Rudy." He nearly tripped himself, racing to shake Jack's hand vigorously, a large smile on his face. "It's nice to meet you!"

Jack granted the boy a tight smile. "Same. Is something going on? You seem pretty...excited."

'Rudy' gasped, releasing Jack's hand before chuckling nervously, gripping onto the edges of his sweater. "Nothing's happening, I just- I'm happy! Not saying that you aren't, but I mean, I show it a bit more. It's good to be positive!"

"Uh-huh."

Jack nodded before moving around Rudolph to set his things down. From the looks of numerous winter sweaters on the lower bed, Rudy had already claimed the lower half. Jack rolled up his sleeves before climbing up to the top bunk.

"O-oh, sorry!" Rudolph called out, following Jack to the bunk bed. "I took the lower bunk before you came because heights are…heights are, uh…"

Jack shrugged, bouncing a bit to check the bunkbed's stability. It hardly moved. "I don't mind. Heights don't scare me. Besides, I like top bunk."

There was a silence. Jack turned to the boy below. "Is something wr-"

His eyes nearly bugged.

Rudolph was blushing furiously, but all the color seemed to travel to the middle of his face. His nose was like a shining beacon. It almost seemed like an allergic reaction restricted to the middle of the kid's face.

"I'm not afraid of heights!" Rudolph insisted hotly. It seemed like he'd argued about this subject several times before.

Jack's eyebrow quirked at the sudden defiance.

_'Touchy.'_

"Oh yeah?" He asked out of curiosity, but it sounded more like a challenge to Rudolph.

"Yeah!"

Jack decided to let it go, because even though it was obvious his roommate was blatantly lying, Jack was being nice today. He just wanted this arrangement to work out.

"Well okay, but you might want to take a look at your nose becau-"

Rudolph gasped even louder this time, clapping his hands to his face and scrambling out of the room.

Jack stared on, wondering if he had said something wrong. He didn't really want to, but he would apologize once Rudolph returned. The guy just seemed so jumpy and all. He was probably just as nervous as Jack was about being in college.

Soon enough, Rudolph came back, his face dripping with cold water and the redness in his face gone. He used the sleeves of his sweater to wipe the water away as Jack leapt down from the top bunk.

"Hey look man, I'm sorry about-"

Rudolph shook his head so fast, Jack thought the kid would helicopter up into the sky. "Oh no, no! It's alright! It's my fault. My brothers are always teasing me about my…" he lowered his voice and leaned in, like it was some great big secret, "…my fear of _heights_. My nose, too. It gets like that when I'm cold or embarrassed or scared or surprised or really happy or really sad or-"

Jack lifted a hand to stop the rambling. "That's cool. I understand. No hard feelings."

Rudolph bit his lip, watching Jack nervously. Jack sighed at the look of shame the other boy's face before continuing.

"If it makes you feel better, I turn red really easy too. Not as red as _you_, of course, but y'know."

"Oh!" Rudolph smiled, glad to share something secret with his cool new friend.

Jackson was _really_ cool. He didn't seem worried about anything! And his nose didn't turn red like Rudy's did and he was actually being very nice to him! Like he actually wanted to be his friend. He was so different from the folks back home. "Cool. So…where are you from?

"Burgess. You?"

Rudolph perked up a bit. "Alaska. We move around a lot, though."

"Your family?"

"Yeah! It's big! I have a lot of brothers."

Jack smiled for real this time. This was a topic he knew enough about, family! "I have siblings too. A sister. How many do you have?"

"No sisters here. Brothers? Plenty. Eight!"

Jack's eyes bugged once more. "_Eight_?"

"Eight. And I'm the youngest! I'm so happy to only have to share a room with one other person now. I don't have to worry about Vix, Blix, Dash, Dan, Comet, Cu-" Rudolph began, counting on his fingers.

Jack zoned out almost instantly. How this shy kid had made it this far as the youngest in a family that big, he would never know. If Jack had learned anything from television sitcoms or family movies, older brothers were really harsh on younger brothers.

"Wow."

"Yeah. I'm only here because of the Mythos aviation program. I'm studying aeronautical engineering! Gonna' be a pilot."

Jack nodded, interested once more. Wasn't Rudy afraid of heights...? Whatever. Better to not to bring it up and have the kid freak out again.

"Flying, huh? That's cool."

Rudolph smiled shyly, surprised that his dream career had been accepted so easily. "Yeah, it is cool. My brothers were teasing me before I came here. They don't think I can do it."

"Yeah, you can," Jack waved off, looking out the window at the campus below. When he turned back to his roommate, Rudy was just standing there, biting at his fingers nervously. Jack sat a little straighter.

"You _can_ do whatever you want, Rudy. It's just a silly fear. You can beat it. I've had to do the same thing before. I'll be rooting for you." Jack made a little fist pump motion jokingly, but his new roommate seemed to take the statement to heart.

"Thanks, Jackso- uh, Jack! Wh…what were you afraid of?"

Jack shrugged. "Cars. Driving."

"Oh. Why?"

Jack didn't have an answer. It was one thing to be nice to a new friend. It was another to reveal your life story to someone you just met.

Catching onto the hesitance, Rudolph lifted his hands in reassurance. "That's okay, you don't have to answer that! Well, what do you want to be, Jack?"

Jack frowned, looking back out the window again.

"Dunno'. I'll figure it out, I guess."

The touch of Rudolph's hand on his shoulder made Jack feel a bit uncomfortable, but looking into the serious face of the other boy, he bit back a retort and allowed it.

"It's alright Jack, you'll find your dream job. I'll be rooting for you, too-"

"-You freshmen are so **gay**, it's **flaming** in here."

Rudolph and Jack jumped apart, looking towards their door. A clearly older, larger boy was peering in, looking around before settling back on the pair. "I'd say 'get a room', but you two are already in one. Need help moving stuff around?"

Rudolph's voice didn't seem to be working, but Jack's was fully functional.

"Nope, we're flamingly fine. Thanks."

The other boy stepped further in, spreading out his stance. He was a huge guy that nearly shadowed Jack and Rudolph. His arms and chest were rippling with muscle as his deep voice spoke again.

"Aw c'mon. It was just a joke. No hard feelings, right? Here, the name's Gilgamesh." The tall boy reached out a hand, smirking. "I run things around here."

Rudolph was quick to shake the massive hand so as not to appear rude, but Jack refrained. No need to suck up to some guy he'd probably be pranking later. Leaning in, Jack could see a name tag on Gilgamesh's shirt. "You're….you're our RA?"

"Damn right. So you two flame-o's better keep the faggotry out of the hall or you'll be dealing with me, and you don't want that. Right, so here are the rules: Don't lose your room key, or pay a ton of money. No pets, I don't want to see Fido in here. Recycle your shit. No candles, no smoking in here, no drinking, don't burn the place down. No girls- but _that_ won't be a problem for you all, now will it? Ha, joking, joking- no girls unless they're being chaperoned by one of you."

Jack frowned. This uninvited guest was wearing out his welcome pretty fast. "That it?"

"Nope. Those are the _standard_ rules. These are mine that you will live under: Smoke by the windows, drink but don't poison yourselves, fuck all you want. I don't want to hear it. You wanna' fight someone, take it outside. Don't bother me with dumb shit. Stay in your place. I'm RA. If I catch any girls of yours walking around and she's pretty, I'll escort her to my dorm, catch my drift? Stay in your place."

Jack stepped forward, ignoring the sudden hold Rudolph put on him. "Jack don't-"

"What are you, King of the Mountain? How did you even get this job? Who would make _you_ an RA?"

The older boy smiled, flexing. He tipped his head in the air so that he could look them both down past the bridge of his nose. His boxed beard looked even fuller and tougher.

"What are you, mad, freshie? I'm RA because I know how to rule this dorm and I rule it well. Go ahead and push me. I can show you exactly why I'm King of the-."

"**Gilgamesh**."

Everyone turned once more, facing another newcomer.

_'We need to get a better lock for that door,'_ Jack thought absently.

It was another older boy with and RA tag on his shirt, however he looked nothing like Gilgamesh.

This boy had long, wild hair to the shoulder blade. His shirt was tattered and he wore a small necklace of animal teeth as well as a wooden bracelet. His skin was far more tanned and his body was lithe and thinner than Gilgamesh's.

"Do you always have to bother the new kids? Sorry about him, guys. Gil just doesn't know when to lay off."

"Don't call me that! And I'm helping them out-"

The thinner boy turned on Gilgamesh, crossing his arms. "Either you leave them alone, or I'll make you."

Gilgameshs's eyes widened and his fists trembled before he bit his lip and stalked out the room, murmuring. "Whatever. Goddamned hippy…"

Jack and Rudy were puzzled.

Who…?

The boy smirked at them. "I'm Enkidu."

"Are you our resident assistant too?" Rudolph asked.

"Nah, I stole this tag." Enkidu said. "I just wear this so people come to me for help instead of that guy. Don't worry about him. He's tough on the freshmen…well, _everyone_… but if he gives you trouble just tell me and I'll set him straight."

"What's up with him? Why is he our RA?" Jack asked.

"Eh, he's just used to 'ruling' everything and everyone around him. We're from the same town actually. Back in Uruk he treated everyone like they were there to serve him. Strong armed his way into school president, valedictorian, team captain, you know. Thought he deserved the world on a silver platter because he comes from old wealth and prestige. He's not all bad, he just doesn't know how to behave or treat people instead of trying to tell them what to do."

Jack quirked his brow. "If he likes to boss people around, why did he listen to you just now?"

Enkidu laughed. "Y'know, I moved there when I was a teenager. I was a lot meaner and crazier back then. He tried to boss me around my first day. I fought him right there. Kicked his ass, too. Never bossed me around again. He made me realize how I had been acting, made me clean up my act. Really, he's not so bad once you know him."

Jack nodded, understanding. Gilgamesh was nothing to be concerned about as long as Enkidu was around. Rudolph, however, bit at his fingers, his nose furiously covering itself in blush again.

"He's a bully! And he called us…he said we were-"

Enkidu laughed, reaching out a hand to give Rudolph a friendly pat. "What'd I just say, man? Don't worry about him! Just don't get in his way or come to me. Besides, he calls everyone gay."

Jack's brow quirked before he receded into his own thoughts.

An insanely optimistic roommate with blood distribution issues, one crazy, homophobic RA that looked like an MMA wrestler, one ex-crazy, ass-kicking RA that looked like he walked out of a jungle, and a dorm full of unknown people and challenges.

Jack didn't even know what he wanted to be.

This was going to be an interesting year, alright. He wondered how Tooth was faring on her side of the campus.

Maybe he could call her later once she was settled in?

* * *

><p>"<em>What<em>?!"

"You can't stay in the room for awhile tonight."

Tooth jerked wildly to her side, staring at her roommate in awe. Seriously?

"What do you mean I can't stay? It's the first day!"

Maleficent tried to keep up their walking pace though Tooth had slowed considerably at her request, too busy gawking at her to walk properly. "There's this boy I want to come over. It'll only be for three hours, maybe four? Then I'll send him on his way and you can come back."

"Why can't I just be in there while you guys are talking and-"

"We won't be talking."

Tooth's face slackened. "_O-oh_." She continued to walk awkwardly alongside her roommate before turning once more. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"No. More like a plaything."

Tooth frowned in disgust. "That's awful, Maleficent."

"What?" Maleficent grinned, perfectly manicured hands up in surrender. "He likes being my toy!"

"You talk about him like he's some kind of useless object. I'm sure you wouldn't like it if he spoke about you that way."

Maleficent stopped and a perfectly stiletto'd heel before leaning over to peer at Tooth. "So what if I didn't like it? So what if I _did_? What if that's what gets me off? Who are you to pass judgement?"

Tooth lifted her hands in surrender, shaking her head furiously. "Oh! No, I didn't mean to judge..."

Maleficent narrowed her eyes before continuing onward. "Well you did. This is college, Toothiana. Get used to these things. Not all of us are as pious and conservative as you." She continued to walk but her footsteps were a little more stiff.

Tooth followed after, feeling a little irritated herself.

How could her roommate just kick her out the room like that? And so soon? With no forewarning? For some guy? And then she acted like Tooth didn't know what college kids got up to! Like she was some small child that didn't know any better!

She had to lay down the law now. If she didn't face these problems head on, she would never be heard.

"Maleficent, you need to tell me these things ahead of time. I understand you do your own thing, but it's my room too. Next time you should go to his dorm instead of using ours."

"Are you asking me?" Maleficent countered, staring Tooth down with intensity.

Tooth frowned before stepping in front of the tall girl, getting on her tip toes for leverage.

"No. I'm _telling _you. We need to compromise!"

Maleficent's brows rose before a sly smile slid on her face. "So you _do_ have it in you…alright. I apologize. It'll only be this one night that I have him over at our place and make you go somewhere else. You have my word."

Tooth nodded, her usual optimistic look returning. "Thanks. As long as you respect that. Where should I go in the meantime?" Tooth pondered, her finger tapping at her chin.

"You could find a warm body of your own to spend the evening with."

Tooth gulped, shaking her head. She wasn't even going to consider that statement. Her and Jack had never gotten that far. "Pass."

Maleficent chuckled before throwing back a long lock of black hair. "What did you say before about Burgess High when you were rambling to me? You danced there, yes?"

Tooth nodded. "Yes, but-"

Maleficent laid a slender hand on Tooth's shoulder and pivoted her around. "Look there, on the wall. _'Dance Team Try-Outs tonight at Mythos Stadium'_. How utterly convenient. Why don't you go?"

Tooth did indeed spy a poster on the side of the nearest building that read about the college dance team. Try outs were that night and they wanted anyone who was willing to come. _'Bring something comfy to wear'_.

Tooth grinned. Sure, she wasn't completely settled enough in college to be considering long-term commitments like teams and what-not, but she could always leave the team if things got too hectic. It would be a good way to spend the time she had when she wasn't in class, studying, or hanging out. Maybe she would make some more friends?

"Maleficent, that's perfect! You've got the room to yourself then, I'm going to tryouts."

They headed back towards the dorm, campus explorations to be put on hold for another day.

Once back, Tooth began to pack a bag for tryouts. "Towel, extra clothes…hmm, what else…?"

"Here," Maleficent offered. She handed Tooth a water bottle and her cell phone. "Why did you put those weird stickers all over it?"

Tooth grinned, grabbing the forgotten items. "I like teeth. You're a lot nicer than you pretend to be, you know that?"

Maleficent sneered. "I'm no such thing. I kicked you out of our room tonight, didn't I? And trying to play detective with me on the first day we meet, I see? I could visit a psychiatrist if I wanted to be analyzed, I don't need you doing it for me."

Tooth sighed long and loud. Jeez. Couldn't the girl just say 'thank you' every once in a while? "I knew someone who used to be like you. Someone who was all prickly on the outside, like a wall of defense."

Maleficent looked truly irritated now. "Wall? Fine. Whatever helps you feel like _you_ have control over the situation. But you don't know anything about me or why I do things the way I do. If we're going there, I knew someone who used to be like you!"

Tooth frowned. "What do you mean _'like me'_?"

"She was always chipper. Trying to find the best in everything. Trying to force people to 'open up'. It was condescending on her part, and look where she is now."

"Huh? What happened to her?"

"She got married," Maleficent cringed at the very word, "and if she hadn't been so curious about people and things, she wouldn't be. Would have never met that guy. Serves her right."

"Don't say things like that," Tooth chuckled, wondering why Maleficent was so upset over something so small and harmless, "you should be happy for your friend! So dramatic."

"It's not dramatic! Now she's like a housewife, caged up like some kind of prized bird."

Biting back a laugh, Tooth said, "You make it sound like it's a bad thing to love someone."

Maleficent scoffed. "It _is_. And she's an idiot to fall for it. I warned her. He'll leave her soon enough!"

Tooth's brows drew together at that. "Maleficent, please don't. I have a boyfriend too, and I'm not a slave or anything. It's mutual. We like each other."

Maleficent waved her off. "Think what you wish. He'll leave. Men always do."

Tooth froze, staring at her roommate in shock.

_'She thinks Jack would leave me? Again...?'_

"Wh-Why..." she began, her eyes watering up as her voice broke a bit.

Maleficent's eyes bulged at the sight of Tooth's tears. "Toothiana-"

"Um," Tooth blurted, wiping hurriedly at her eyes. "I don't know why I'm...that was...that was _mean_ to say."

The very though of Jack leaving again... that alone was enough to make her foundations tremble. They had done so much just to stay together. Now here was someone telling her that all of that meant nothing!

Maleficent laughed softly as she leaned down to Tooth's height and brought up the hem of her black shirt to wipe at Tooth's eyes. "Oh, stop that. I told you before that I was mean! I won't apologize to you or anyone else, but I do regret making you cry. Please, Toothiana. No more tears."

Tooth hiccuped, reveling in the feel of the soft fabric on her skin and the long fingers caressing her shoulder. The sharp nails brushing her cheek made a chill go up her spine, but the touch was gentle enough that she relaxed back into it. She breathed. "Okay. It's alright. S-sorry for freaking out. Your shirt-"

"-is Givenchy, and now thoroughly ruined. But no matter."

Tooth had the decency to look sheepish as Maleficent chased the last tear away with the damp edge of her shirt.

"Maleficent look…I'm sorry, too. You were right. I was assuming things earlier. It's a bad habit and I'll try to stop. Let's not fight, okay?"

"Then don't start them," Maleficent teased before looking for a new shirt to wear.

Tooth nodded and turned back to her bag. She'd have to remember that Maleficent was a little different from others, and that she didn't like being cornered or corrected or analyzed. And what had she meant, control? Tooth didn't _need_ control over things, surely. She wasn't some control freak. Whatever. The girl was fierce, but Tooth could handle it. Especially after that embarrassing little breakdown! No need to repeat _that._

She was surprised that Maleficent had even bothered to comfort her. She seemed more like the type to tease Tooth for crying or be repulsed at the sight of her tears. Tooth decided from then on to keep her observations to herself, here at college.

She would stop questioning, but she wouldn't stop wondering about others.

There was silence for a while until Maleficent broke it.

"What happened to that person…the one 'like me'?"

Tooth was surprised that Maleficent even wanted to talk to her, still. Tooth tried to make her voice light and airy but it came out stuffy. "Oh! He's still kind of like that. But he's happier now," Tooth said listlessly staring off, a small smile on her face.

Maleficent stared before looking off. "Your boyfriend...?"

"Yes. The one that was going to 'leave me' eventually, as you put so nicely."

Maleficent paused at Tooth's sudden hard tone. Tooth wondered if a real fight was going to happen, but nothing of the sort occurred.

Instead, Maleficent breathed deeply before continuing slowly. "I...My past relationship was...very unpleasant, to say the least. Now I keep myself at a distance. I 'play' instead of 'date'. Maybe it's wrong, maybe it's right, but it works for me. When I see others in happier relationships, it...it irks me. That's why I said those things to you. Not only out of envy that I couldn't have the same thing, but also that I would sooner hurt my friends with my words of warning before any man could hurt them with his actions."

Tooth's eyes shone in happiness. "Oh, Maleficent. That's, uh, caring. In a weird way. But Jack isn't like that at all! You said earlier not to judge. Maybe you shouldn't judge all guys based on the actions of your last boyfriend.

Tooth walked over, wanting to touch the other girl reassuringly, but controlling herself. "Do you want to eat some ice cream and watch a movie after your guy-friend leaves? We can hang out and we can get to know one another more…the right way."

Maleficent pretended to ponder the thought before nodding quickly. "Alright. Just go to tryouts. I'll be in the dorms when you get back."

Tooth nodded, hoisting up her bag and jogging away. She turned quickly. "Oh! What flavor are we getting?"

"I just adore the taste of arsenic. Or perhaps cyanide?" Maleficent teased.

"Malefic-"

"Fine, fine. Chocolate. The _dark_ kind."

* * *

><p>"Line up ladies, single file, side by side. Quick!"<p>

The girls sidestepped past one another in the empty gym as the line slowly formed itself out of all the young hopefuls, all wishing to be part of the Mythos Dance Team. Toothiana, among them, placed herself quickly.

"Alright everyone. I'm Mab, the co-captain of Mythos' dance squad, the _'Nymphs'_! Welcome!"

Everyone clapped generously before allowing the co-captain to resume.

"Here beside me, is the team captain. She goes by Tinkerbell. You'll be dancing for her today."

The claps started up but the sharp look Tinkerbell gave made the room quiet once more.

"Alright," Tinkerbell announced with a light and chipper voice, "everyone who's over 200 pounds, 90 kilograms, 14 stone, whatever system you use to measure fat, thank you for coming. Leave."

The eager smiles seemed to slide off of the girls' faces. A few looked around, almost as if they were expecting a cameraman to jump out and yell, 'Gotcha!'.

The longer the team captain stood before them tapping her foot, the more they all understood that it wasn't a joke. A dull realization settled over the crowd as a few of the heavier girls left the gym, looking disappointed.

"That's mean!" a nameless onlooker called out.

"No," Tinkerbell responded on the dot, "it'd be _mean_ is to allow someone with too much weight on the team, only to have them preform hard dance moves and break their ankles out on the field like last year! I will not allow this team to look bad again! The cuts aren't even over yet."

A few groans erupted around Tooth. "But we haven't even danced yet!" one girl called out from behind her.

"Everyone who just groaned? Thank you for coming. Leave."

Tooth's jaw dropped. A few girls did stomp out angrily while others stood stock still hoping that they would be spared. Tooth wasn't sure what to do because she was still puzzled on how half the girls in the room had already been eliminated.

"I will not allow whiners on this team. We already have tough competition each year, having all those prissy princesses on the cheer team, not to mention other schools' dance squads. I don't need anymore trouble on my hands."

Tinkerbell walked up and down the line, eyeing everyone. "We are the '_Nymphs'_. We need to look like the team name suggests. We need to dance like it."

She pointed some girls towards the gym exit door and motioned for other girls to remain where they were. "Now, I don't like to be the bad girl, but I will be. Understand that this is my job. If you don't like the team after a bit of time on it you're welcome to leave, but you cannot try out again. Once you're on the team, the worst will have passed. All you need to focus on from then on is training with the other Nymphs."

Tooth highly doubted that. With a captain like Tinkerbell, there was a very possible chance that practices would be hellish instead of fun. Still, she didn't come all this way for nothing. If it was really that bad, she could always drop the team.

Tinkerbell stopped before her, glancing Tooth over. Tooth observed her similarly.

Tinkerbell was shorter than Tooth by a few inches, and wider in the waist as well. Still she was an overall petite girl that looked light on her feet, like the rest of the team did. Her eyes were a soft blue despite the hard emotion behind them. Her hair was gathered up into an obscenely large bun on the peak of her head, with the exception of a soft blonde bang falling to the side.

The captain did not smile but still looked approvingly at Tooth. "Nice, toned arms. Small waist. Don't move."

Tinkerbell continued down the line.

By the end of the examination, more than half the girls that had come to tryouts had left. Only a third remained. The room reeked of disappointment and fear.

Tinkerbell seemed to relax at the sight of the smaller crowd. "Who here has danced on a team before?"

A few hands rose.

"And who here has captained a team?"

Tooth and two others rose their hands.

"Well remember this: **I'm** captain here. Not you."

Tooth frowned. _'Of course we all know you're captain. Why even mention it again? I'll make a mental note to keep out of **her** way.'_

At least Maleficent was visibly as intimidating as she actually was. Tinkerbell on the other hand...

This whole experience was leaving a bad taste in Tooth's mouth and as petite and nice as Tinkerbell looked, the girl seemed kind of…not that nice. However tryouts weren't over yet and Tooth wasn't too keen on bothering Jack on the first day or returning to the room too early to find Maleficent and her 'plaything' in the middle of _whatever_ they were doing.

"Alright everyone!" Mab yelled, "Tink wants to see dances! You're all going to solo to a song of your choice, then learn quick dance routine and preform it for us. Line up for the solos!"

Tooth watched as person after person put on a show for the dance team members and captains. Though there were a few that could certainly use some help or improvement, none of the girls were hopeless. Tooth thought there was a wonderful collection of people for the team! Worried, Tooth realized that she had only ever done cultural dances. This dance squad seemed to focus on modern day dances.

After solos, they all learned a quick routine demonstrated by Mab and tried to preform it as best as they could.

"Alright, thank you everyone. I really liked- ah, I _mean_…Tink?"

Tinkerbell pursed her lips before calling out names. "Blue, Holly, Ondine, Plum, Puck- congrats on being the only boy to show up, by the way, Puck- and Toothiana. You're all on. Congrats."

A few cheers and hoots went around, though Tooth refrained and only gave a small smile. She wasn't sure what to expect from this team but hey, at least she spent the day doing something interesting before term started! With all the previous harsh eliminations, Tooth felt a bit of pride for having made the team despite the odds.

Tinkerbell went on, clapping her hands for the room's attention.

"Practice starts in here next week! Try to get your class schedules sorted out by then. We don't practice nearly as much as the cheerleaders do, but that doesn't mean you guys can slack off! See you soon, Nymphs."

Tooth nodded and grabbed the packet of important dates before walking out.

"Nice dancing," came a soft voice from beside her.

"Oh! Thanks. You too, uh…"

"Everyone calls me Blue. So that Tinkerbell sure is something, huh?"

Tooth nodded eagerly, glad to have someone else who thought the same. "She seems really…intense."

"Oh, intense ain't the word for it." Puck responded, popping up beside them both. "More like super ultra mega_ bitch_. You saw the way she treated those guys who didn't make the cut. But she dances like a dream, so nothing else really matters."

"I just hope this team doesn't take up too much of our time. My friend and I want to hang out this year, but he's on the robotics team. With me doing dance, I don't know if we'll ever get the chance to just enjoy one another." Blue stated sadly.

"Oh yeah...who?" Puck asked. "Is it that weird Italian kid by any chance?"

"Oh! You know him?"

"Yep. My roommate's on the robotics team with him. Says he's always going on and on about you."

Blue bit the inside of her cheek, trying to fight back a smile. Tooth shot her a small smile.

"Who's your roommate?" Blue questioned.

"Hiccup Haddock."

Tooth's eyes widened. "Hiccup? I used to go to high school with him!" She had no clue that Hiccup had decided to go to Mythos, much less join the robotics team.

"Yeah? Small world, I guess. See you guys."

Blue and Tooth waved as the boy jogged away. Blue said her own goodbyes before leaving. Tooth continued on.

By the time she got to the dorms, the sun was lowering in the sky and colors bled into reds and oranges across the clouds. The campus was still filled with students, new and old, going from place to place. Tooth walked inside the dorms with her gym bag thumping against her side.

Which other students from Burgess High attended Mythos...?

Noises down the corridor alerted her and Toothiana raised her eyes, spying a group of seriously large guys lumbering in her direction, laughing and messing around. Tooth stared on. Their bulk reminded her of...

Old feelings spread through her chest and Tooth had to bite her lip to keep from making an embarrassing noise. Oh, and she had been doing _so_ well! Her old friends...

The old gang had broken up.

Sandy was attending Mythos with Tooth, but they had realized the summer before that she would rarely see him because he was a serious medical major, training to be an anesthesiologist and taking a few neuroscience classes to boot.

North and Bunnymund, on the other hand, were overseas. At least she heard from Bunnymund from time to time through online video chat and text messages. He was in going to school in England with Alice. North was nearly unreachable back at his home in Russia. For some reason, the boy didn't have a computer and the libraries wouldn't allow him to hook up any webcams to theirs. He could only call or write. Tooth had a handful of letters in his tiny, neat scrawl.

'Missing them' was an understatement.

There had been nights where she looked at her old sketchbook from high school, filled with the teeth of her friends and classmates. She could recognize every single one. North's were wide, strong and white. Bunnymund had the signature enlarged central incisors, or buck teeth, with sharp canines. She would trace her finger over them longingly, wondering where all the time went. She knew things would never go back to the way they had been.

Tooth had promised herself to keep in contact with them. To try to remain unbothered by it all.

But how _could_ she? How could she not feel anything?

They had been her very first real friends in high school, the best ones she had ever had, really. They were the first group of kids to make her feel normal and welcome. There wasn't a week that went by where they didn't see one another or hang out. Now it had all fallen apart.

No. She would keep it together. They all had their own lives now and it wasn't like they couldn't speak to each other through some method, if they really wanted to. Tooth had to bottle the feelings and start fresh, here at Mythos. She would make new friends! She already had a few. Maleficent, Puck, Blue.

Besides. It wasn't like Hiccup and Sandy weren't here with her. And Jack…

Jack was here with her. Jack was always there.

Tooth smiled softly, unaware that she was still staring in the direction of the group of boys. They smiled back at her and gave little greetings, but Tooth remained oblivious.

"**Oh**!" A voice boomed.

Tooth snapped out of her reverie and focused her vision, astonished. She recognized one of the larger boys. "Th-Th-"

"Brainiac! From Burgess High! You go here? Wow. You look hot."

Tooth couldn't keep from rolling her eyes. She should have seen that coming from a mile away. "Thank you, Thor. And my name is Tooth."

"I knew that, I _knew_ that! Hey guys, I'll catch up later." He waved them off before looking back at her. "Football team," he gestured over at the retreating crowd, "They're cool guys. I made quarterback here at Mythos. Great, huh?"

Tooth nodded, her interest peaking. "Yes, that's wonderful. Do you live in these dorms?"

"Nah, the Mythos athletes get a special set of dorms on the other side of campus. They're incredible."

Tooth was a little jealous at the cool accommodations they got. She worked harder than Thor ever had in high school. Still, he worked hard in his own way, she figured. "Well good for you! You always played well back in Burgess."

"Yes. Now I'm in the big leagues! College ball is where it's at."

Tooth bit her lip, nodding and walking backwards. "Well…nice seeing you agai-"

"Wait," Thor reached out, making Tooth halt.

Tooth's brow quirked. "Yes...?"

For once, Thor looked self conscious. His eyes were downcast as he kicked his feet a bit, looking for the right words to say.

"I, uh…To stay on the team and keep my special offers from Mythos, I need to keep my grades up. I mean, sports was the only way I was able to get in this school. If I can't do well in classes, I'm booted from the team and the university, so uh…Could you tutor me? I know…I know I'm not all that smart-"

"Don't say that, Thor! You're plenty smart!" Tooth insisted.

She wasn't too sure if that was _true_, but she wasn't going to doubt him. Back in Burgess, Thor was pretty well known as a musclebound lug-head, good only for parties and football games. They made jokes about him. She had always believed the rumors before, but now with him standing before her and asking her for help…

"I would love to tutor you! I mean, I'm really, _really_ busy, but...yes. Why me, though? Aren't there other, more qualified Mythos students to help you?"

Thor frowned, almost childlike. "But I actually know you. You're nice to me. You're nice to everyone! And you were really smart back in Burgess. Athena said so."

Tooth felt her heart speed up. She had forgotten Thor hung out with Zeus and his crowd from time to time. Athena said that about her? Thor thought she was nice?

"Alright! I'll help you. Don't you worry about a thing. It's a good thing you found me before classes started. We'll set you up with a study plan and everything-"

"I knew I could count on you!"

Tooth felt two large arms wrap around her before squeezing the life out of her. Tooth thought she would be able to keep her lunch down until Thor proceeded to swing them both in circles, right there in the tight hallway. Tooth couldn't help but notice that Thor was extremely similar to North in the hug department.

Still spinning, Tooth barely caught sight of the blurred vision of a girl. "Thor, **_wait_**-!" she got out until the toe of her shoe hit something.

_"Oof!"_

Thor and Tooth stopped immediately as the other girl fell over hard, having bumped into their wild hug. She leaned over her arm clutching it and cringing.

"Oh jeez, we- we're so sorry!" Tooth cried, jumping out of Thor's arms. She raced over to the girl, reaching out a hand. "Here, let me help y-"

"Don't touch me!"

Tooth froze at the icy demand, her hand retreating away. The fallen girl kept her face turned, denying Tooth from seeing her face. All Tooth could observe was the pale white hand clutching at the reddening arm and the platinum blonde hair coiled into a tight, intricate bun. Hair so white, it almost looked like Jack's…

"Are you okay?" Tooth asked.

The girl sighed a bit before rising up, still holding her arm. "Fine," she murmured before continuing on down the hall.

Tooth was totally embarrassed.

She turned on Thor, who raised his hands in defense.

"I didn't know she was there!" He blurted instantaneously, trying to save face

"Well, me neither! We still shotgunned her with my feet flying in the air like that! We're lucky she didn't report us to an RA."

Thor scoffed. "Why would she do that? We're all adults here. If we get hurt, we can lick our own wounds."

Tooth sighed. "I just feel bad."

"Don't!" Thor interceded, grabbing her shoulder. "You're doing a good thing by helping me out! A good deed cancels out a bad deed. You'll see. You won't regret it."

Tooth smiled a little. "I'm sure I won't regret a thing. We just have to work hard, okay?"

"Okay," Thor agreed. They swapped numbers before Thor headed on his way down the hall. "Catch you later Brainy!"

"Tooth!" she called back, stamping her foot before continuing to her room.

Her phone lit up.

"Jack?" she answered.

"My RA wants me dead and my roommate's afraid of his own shadow. Something tells me you're having a better first day than I am."

Tooth snorted. "My RA's pretty nice and my roommate's not afraid of shadows in the least…more like she _is_ a shadow. You know she snuck a raven in our room? Also I joined the dance team and am now tutoring Thor. Apparently Hiccup goes here too."

Jack laughed out loud. "Of _course _you would get all that done in one day. Why am I even surprised at this point?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tooth, you're always doing a bunch of things at once. It's almost like you can't slow down."

"That's not true!"

Jack sighed. "Well I just hope you still have time for me."

Tooth nodded before remembering that Jack couldn't exactly see her do it. "Always! I always have time for you."

"Aw," Jack cooed, "I think my heart just pitter-pattered."

"Pitter-patter? Are you for real?" Tooth giggled.

"What? My roommate said it earlier, gimme' a break."

"Sure, blame it on the roommate!"

Tooth laughed at the sounds of Jack's irritation over the line. "Yeah, whatever. You're just a dance-tutor-linguist-dentition-person, what would you know?"

"I have to go, I'm going in my room now."

"Alright, dance-tutor-lingu-"

"I love you."

"Oh. Ah," Jack lowered his voice to a murmur before answering back, "love you too."

Tooth let him hang up first. She would never get tired of hearing that.

* * *

><p>.<p>

.

.

-Gilgamesh and Enkidu are characters from an old Mesopotamian myth, _'The Epic of Gilgamesh'_.

-The significant fairies on 'Nymphs' dance team are Tinkerbell from J.M. Barrie's_ 'Peter Pan'_, the Blue Fairy from '_Pinnocchio'_, Puck from Shakespeare's _'A Midsummer Night's Dream'_, and Mab from Shakespeare's_ 'Romeo and Juliet'._

_-_Kids from Burgess that attend Mythos are Toothiana, Jack, Sandy, Thor, Hiccup, and another soon to be revealed. Bet you can guess who it is!


	2. First Mistakes at MU

**AN: Hey again, hope you're all doing well. I feel better about this chapter. Like I'm getting back into the mind frame I was in when I wrote the first one. All PM's sent to me should be answered by now. If you haven't gotten a reply from me just hit me up again.**

**I think some people are mistaken about my 'M-rated' intentions, ha. I'm not planning any explicit sex scenes. I'm actually changing the rating to 'T' when I put this chapter up until further notice. Unless a lot of people requested it, I wasn't going to write anything explicit between our couple. **

**The M-rating was for swearing, mentions of sexual content and violence. I feel like a lot of teenagers read about that stuff anyways, so I'm switching it back to 'T'.**

**Also; Jack and Tooth seem to be distant but Tooth is being her usual workaholic self, though on a more self-destructive level. It's not going to be a festival of new characters the entire story. The rainbow snowcone is on the way! Happy early-Valentine's Day**

* * *

><p>"I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you but yourself"<p>

_-Rita Mae Brown_

* * *

><p>"I'm afraid that we all make mistakes. One of the things that defines our character is how we handle mistakes. If we lie about having made a mistake, then it can't be corrected and it festers. On the other hand, if we give up just because we made a mistake, even a big mistake, none of us would get far in life."<p>

_- Terry Goodkind_

* * *

><p>It was the third hour into the tutoring session and Tooth was certain that her brain was going to short-circuit.<p>

"Thor, **_why_** are you taking all these hard classes?" she blurted in exasperation. Seeing the embarrassed look on the larger boy's face made her bite her tongue. He was already self conscious about his intelligence. Why drill it in him further?

She wasn't thinking too clearly. The numbers and graphs were still flashing in her vision. All she wanted to do was hang out with Sandy and see Jack. When had she last seen him? Two _weeks_ ago?

It had been a long day for her- scratch that, a long _month_- but she didn't want to take that out on her pupil. Thor was already so nervous about his grades. Quickly, she looked for the right words to say but the muscled boy was already answering her.

"I know they're pretty hard, but I need to pass these classes if I want a job in paleotempestology!"

Tooth stared.

Thor sighed loudly. "Oh for the love of- _storm chasing_, Tooth. I want to be a storm chaser."

Tooth looked away in embarrassment. He had told her so many times, she just simply could not remember! "I thought you were going to play football professionally...?"

"I am!"

"You're going to be a storm chasing football player?"

"Yes!"

Tooth bit back a pained sigh, running her fingers through her hair. She admired Thor's obvious passion, watching him dive back into his book and studying cloud formation, but she couldn't help but feel doubtful. These classes were really hard, even for her! And he was putting so much faith in her tutoring. If she failed him…

Tooth didn't want to fail. Bad grades, late attendance, any of those things…She could hardly stand failing herself. To be the cause of someone else's downfall was borderline nightmarish for her. No matter how long this month had been, no matter how tired she was, she would take responsibility! Thor needed her. She had accepted tutoring him, after all.

Thor looked up at her curiously. "Are you okay? You seem a little tired."

Tooth shook her head, squaring her shoulders. "I'm fine. Let's get back to work!"

And so Tooth helped him for another hour, studiously going over various textbooks, graphs, and calculations. Thor glanced at the clock before looking at Tooth. "I'm going to grab another book. I'll be right back."

Just as he left, another group of students sat beside her table.

Tooth noticed out of the corner of her vision that one of the group members was staring intently at her. She around shifted in her seat for a moment.

"Uh…hello," she offered quietly, eyes flicking over to the staring kid.

The others just glanced over at her, unaware of how their friend was visually daggering her. They returned to their conversation, but Tooth could still feel eyes on her. She hunched over and let her hair hang in her face to hide herself from view.

A nearby voice broke the quiet.

"Hey. Where are you from?"

Tooth looked over at the staring boy and smiled gently. So that's what he was wondering!

"Oh! I'm from Burgess."

The kid frowned. "No. Like, where are you _really_ from?"

Tooth grew confused. "I don't know what you mean-"

The kid then brought up his fingers to pull at his eyes, making them squinty. "Like, where in China are you from? Or is it Japan?"

A nearby friend slapped him on the arm. "Nah dude, she's way too dark to be from China!"

Tooth's eyebrows nearly shot into her hairline.

_'What…?'_

"I…I'm not Chinese or Japanese. I'm mixed. My mother is Indian and my fa-"

"India? For real? Why don't you have the red dot on your forehead then? You don't even look Indian. If you were, your parents wouldn't let you dye your hair like that. Indians are super strict on their kids."

Tooth slid further into her seat, unsure what to say.

This wasn't the first time she faced ignorance on Asians, but it certainly had never been so…so blatant! And there were people around. They were staring at her, wondering what she would do or say. She grew nervous under the pressure and tried to repeat herself.

"I-I…My mother is Indian. My father is Thai. I'm from Burgess."

The boy looked frustrated with her- as if she was withholding the answer he wanted to hear. "So are you like…Asian? Or Indian?"

Tooth bit her lip, hating the feel of all the eyes on her. "India _is_ in Asia."

"She's Asian man, just leave it at that," another kid in the grouped laughed.

One girl peered over. "Then why is she so dark? I thought Asians were all like, _white_."

"You mean yellow?" another boy chimed.

The group snorted and laughed raucously. Some nearby kids looked uncomfortable,whereas others chuckled along with the joke. Some were just blatantly staring at Tooth, wondering what to make of her or what she would do.

Tooth's brows furrowed and she looked down at the table, away from the eyes. She couldn't deal with this anymore!

Someone moved behind her.

"Shut it. You're_** rude**_. She told you her ethnicity. Now leave her alone! She doesn't have to explain anything to you."

Tooth looked up to see her savior. A tall girl stood above her, glaring at the offending group.

The boy shrugged nonchalantly. "It was just a joke."

The girl frowned. "Well it's not funny. Cut it out."

The boy waved her off. "Yeah, yeah. Stick up for your 'homies', right?" He laughed, looking pointedly over at a black kid across the room, who shifted around in his seat in discomfort. "Where are you from? China?"

The girl smirked. "As a matter of fact, I am. Henan, China."

The boy smirked back. "Oh? Figures. See guys, _she's_ Asian. Not like darkie over there." His friends let out embarrassed chuckles as he pointed at Tooth. Some seemed to find it genuinely funny while others were feeling the growing tension in the room. "Check it out, she looks mad! What, are you going to go all kung-fu on me, Jackie Chan?"

The Chinese girl moved and before Tooth could realize, the older girl's fist was buried deep into the boy's collar, lifting him out of his chair forcibly.

"What the-?!" he spluttered. His friends looked on in awe as their group member was dragged away.

"Who do you think you are? Get your hands off of me!" the boy demanded, struggling in her grip but unable to free himself.

"Hua, Mulan. You won't be forgetting it."

"You wanna' go? Huh?! You trying to pick a fight?"

"Sure." She released him and he jumped away from her. "Let's take it outside."

Tooth watched as they both marched out of the library. She was a little confused but more grateful than anything else.

Thor returned whilst everyone else was watching the scene play out by the library doors.

He looked around.

"Did I miss something? What happened?"

Tooth bit her lip as the words tumbled out of her. "Um, some boy was making fun of people and this girl just appeared and now I think they're fighting outside."

Thor's eyes swiveled over to her. "Did he bother you?"

Tooth shrugged. "A little. He was bothering everyone, being so loud."

"Loud about what? What'd he say?"

"Well...he asked where I was from."

"Oh. What's wrong with that?"

Tooth chuckled at Thor's curiosity. "It wasn't the question that bothered me, Thor. It was the way he asked it." Which was true. Tooth didn't mind those kinds of questions at all but she could have done without the little comments that made her feel bad and put her on the spot. Oh well. It was over now. The guy was gone. She wasn't surprised someone ended up saying something to him. At the rate he was going, he was going to piss off every race in the library!

Thor looked at her before turning towards the library entrance. A crowd was gathering. His eyes lit up "I want to see the fight!"

Tooth shook her head and blocked his way. "No! You need to review those chapters we talked about, no fighting!"

Thor pouted and settled back in his seat. He looked around for something to distract the vigilant tutor.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be at your dance thing in-"

_*Beep**Beep**Beep*_

Tooth looked at the watch on her wrist, smirking. "Yep! Right on time, Thor." She gathered her books up and swiftly packed them away before pushing away from the table to stand.

Thor smirked. "Loud watch you got there. So, uh, you're leaving then?

Tooth shrugged. "I need it to be loud. I use the watch to stay on track. And no looking at that fight! Keep up with your lessons!" She waved before jogging out the other exit, eager to avoid the crowd gathering by the other door.

Thor nodded. "Sure! Whatever you say…"

As soon as Tooth was out of sight, Thor flipped his book closed and joined the gathering crowd by the library's entrance. Peering through the glass with everyone else, he hooted and hollered, whistling the fight on.

Woah. Some guy was getting his _ass_ kicked.

* * *

><p>Tooth raced down the sidewalk dodging this way and that. Her cardio had improved tremendously since school started.<p>

She didn't have time for walking casually anymore. She had so many classes to attend, so many things to study for, that it was necessary to race from place to place. Sooner or later she'd have to buy a bicycle to keep up.

Her bag thumped against her as she sped along through the crowds. Her legs ached faintly, used to the routine by now.

When was the last time she ate? Slept? Just sat down and took a breather? She didn't know. Every day, it was go to class, study, tutor, dance practice, more studying, race to class again. Rinse, repeat.

She felt okay right now, but she wasn't too sure how long she'd be able to hold out.

Her phone rang again. Panting, she answered it, still dodging around crowds of people.

"Tooth?"

"_Huff_- hey Jack! What's- _huff-_ up? We're going to -_huff-_ meet up today, I promise."

"You always say that. Then something comes up."

"No, today -_huff-_ I'm serious! Promise! After -_huff-_ dance practice!"

"Are you running right now?"

"_huff-_ No...?"

"Sure. You know I'm only bugging you because I miss you, right? I haven't seen you in weeks. Let loose a little."

"M'sorry!"

She could hear Jack pause, fighting with something before he spoke softly, "It's cool. Just…don't skip this time, okay? And video chat with Bunnymund when you get a chance, he keeps whining about how he can't reach you."

"I will! And no skipping. I'll be there. Got to go!"

"See you then."

Tooth hung up, racing into the auditorium.

She would see Jack after dance practice! Finally. She almost did a little happy dance right there in the doorway.

Stepping inside, Tooth saw all the lithe dancers getting dressed up in their workout clothes. She unceremoniously dumped her bag by the door with the rest before rushing to slip on her workout clothes on too.

Blue and Puck sidled up beside her, watching intently as she changed.

Tooth wasn't bothered by their gazes. They had seen each other change too many times for it to be embarrassing. Besides, they were friends anyways. She saw them more than she saw Jack or Sandy. She wasn't sure if she was too happy about that, though.

"You're always panting and sweaty when you get here," Blue observed, running a finger down Tooth's bare side.

Tooth squeaked, jerking away with her arms tangled in her shirt. "I don't want to be late to practice!"

Puck's finger poked her other side, forcing her to squeal again. "You've never been late to practice, Toothiana. Not once. I'm sure Tinkerbell wouldn't mind if it happened once."

Shrugging her shirt on over her head, she laughed. "Well, I'm not going to test that theory!"

They all gathered with the others to stretch on the mats.

Side by side, the three of them sat and stretched their muscles out. Tinkerbell was strolling among the teammates and observing the stretching.

Tooth's stomach let out a ravenous sound.

Tinkerbell paused by their group, her mouth twisting into a distasteful shape.

The blonde leaned over and jabbed at Tooth's stomach. "Toothiana, I like my team to be thin and spritely but I want you all to be healthy too. Have you eaten today?"

Tooth shook her head meekly.

She didn't want Tinkerbell to be angry with her! It wasn't like she was purposely trying to starve herself, she just never had time to stop and eat between classes.

Tinkerbell shook her head before pulling Tooth off the mats and over to the benches.

"Toothiana, I see your work effort and I approve, but I don't want people to think I'm running my dancers ragged or enforcing anorexia. You need to slow down and take care of yourself. At least try to look cheerful once in a while. Here. I brought these grapes to snack on but I've eaten already. You have them."

Tooth's eyes widened. "Oh Tink, I couldn't-"

"Eat them. That's an order. And since you just ate, stretching isn't a good idea unless you want cramps from hell. Sit this practice out."

Tooth lowered her hands and accepted the fruit. Watching Tinkerbell walk away, she began eating the grapes faster and faster, her stomach clenching in anticipation to be filled again. Tooth nearly moaned, they tasted so good!

When Tinkerbell returned, she eyed the empty bowl before nodding in approval.

"Can I leave early?" Tooth asked hopefully. "I'm meeting my boyfriend after this."

Tink frowned. "No way!"

"...Huh?"

"The team is going to a fraternity party this evening and you're coming along. It's mandatory."

Tooth's eyes bugged. Jack! She was supposed to meet with him.

"B-but Tinkerbell, I've already got plans-"

Tinkerbell held her hand up and shook her head. "Spare me. Like I said, this one's mandatory. Like our other meet-ups were mandatory for team bonding, but this one was a deal between me and the head of the fraternity. If everything goes well, they might hire us for a few parties. We could use the funding for some new gear."

Tooth frowned. "Surely it doesn't matter if you're missing one girl, Tink!"

Tinkerbell stuck her nose up in the air. "Who's in charge here, Toothiana?"

Tooth looked to the ground.

"Thought so." Tinkerbell walked away.

Tooth bit her trembling lip, anger and frustration racing through her. Looking at her phone in her shaking fingers, she couldn't bring herself to call Jack and tell him the news.

He would be so disappointed…

* * *

><p>He had waited long after her dance practice ended. He knew because he had memorized her schedule. Was it creepy? Yeah. But he had to, he was always trying to figure out that one slot of time she was free, those few moments where Tooth wasn't running around doing something. She was always busy these days.<p>

He felt like a whiny child, but it just wasn't fair.

He had only come to this school for her and now he never even saw her. What was the point? He still didn't know what he wanted to do a month into school. Other kids seemed so certain on what they wanted to be.

He felt lost. She was his anchor, always had been. Along with North and the gang of course, but they were gone. The only ones he'd been hanging out with were Rudolph, Sandy, and some skater kids. Hell, Sandy hadn't even seen Tooth since the first week classes started. The poor guy was worried sick about her!

Was everything else that much more important to her than he was? He knew he shouldn't take it personal, but...

Maybe if he waited long enough...

And so he did. Jack waited at the fountain Tooth said she would meet him at.

He waited until the shadows stretched across the pavement and the sun started to lower.

He waited until Rudolph came outside to sit beside him, fidgeting and looking over in his direction as if he were a bomb waiting to blow. Rudolph tried to fill the silence with talk about his day.

Jack felt like Rudolph's anxiousness was well warranted because he kinda' felt like he was two seconds from exploding. Or sinking. He didn't know. But more than any anger or frustration he felt at being stood up, Jack felt hurt.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The pain creeping in was terrible. Worse than feeling nothing at all.

Nothing would be better.

Rudolph spoke on about classes, unaware of the boy slowing growing colder and colder beside him.

* * *

><p>She never knew frat houses smelled so bad.<p>

It had only been fifteen minutes and Tooth was already desperate to leave. The music sounded more like drums and bass and robot noises than anything she'd ever head before. The frat house smells assaulted her nasal passages with one hundred years of unhygienic boys and alcohol. There were too many people here, too many sounds and scents.

Tooth felt miserable.

She was seriously considering just telling Tinkerbell to go kick rocks and threaten to quit the dance team if she couldn't go, just to meet up with Jack and tell him how sorry she was and how she'd make it up to him. However, as she moved forward, Blue and Puck blocked her before she could go anywhere.

"Toothiana, you look so sad!" Blue stated. "Aren't you having any fun?"

Puck nodded. "Yeah, why don't you have a drink or two? Dance a little?"

Tooth shook her head. She wasn't all that different from how she had been in high school. She didn't like drugs or alcohol. She didn't like feeling like she wasn't in control of her own actions. Besides, those things were just…not for her!

"I don't drink."

Blue nodded in respect. "That's fine. But you picked a bad place to be sober."

Tooth chuckled as she glanced at all the party goers dancing sloppily beside them. "Yeah, I guess so."

Puck frowned. "I'm sorry Tink ruined your plans, Toothiana. We can't leave the party yet, though. Why don't you drink a little, just to take the edge off?"

Tooth frowned. She had said no, hadn't she? Wasn't that enough?

"I don't drink, Puck. No thanks."

He raised his hands up in surrender at her tone. "Hey! I'm not trying to pressure you, I just wanted to help. One drink is better than standing in this corner looking pissed all day."

Tooth looked over at the punch bowl. Voices from over the years trickled into her thoughts.

_'At least try to look cheerful once in a while.'_

_'Aren't you having any fun?'_

_'Let loose a little.'_

_'You're so energetic, you would have fun with other people...not boring bookworms like me...'_

_'At least I'm not like Grandma over here!'_

Tooth frowned before gathering up her nerve and marching over to the frat's punch bowl. She could have fun like them. She could party just as hard as anyone else.

Her friends watched in awe as she downed one drink, then another, then another on top of that.

After gulping noisily, she slammed the cups into a trash can. "There! Better? Am I 'letting loose' _now_? Wow, guzzling that...that sure was- eugh! It tastes so terrible! I don't even feel any different."

Blue looked on horrified while Puck laughed like a madman.

"Woah, Tooth! Didn't that burn going down your throat? That punch is more hard liquor than punch! You should've just had one, not three in a straight row. And on an empty stomach no less!"

Tooth smacked her lips, feeling her throat tingle from the liquor disguised by fruity flavors. "Oh…really?"

"Yeah!" Puck laughed harder as Blue smacked at his shoulder in annoyance.

Tooth had the decency to look embarrassed. She regretted the drinks instantly. Why had she let herself do that...? Drinking itself wasn't bad but Tooth felt bad about allowing her own personal values to be pushed aside so easily. She knew she didn't want to drink anything and yet she did it anyway. And what for? To have a horrible aftertaste in her mouth and fit in with everyone else? She began fanning her face off.

...Was it getting _warmer_ in here?

"Well, it didn't burn _that_ much," she lied, "and besides. I don't feel a thing."

"Not yet, you don't." Puck grinned.

Blue looked at the sweat gathering on Tooth's forehead in concern. "Tooth, why don't you head upstairs and check out the balcony? Get some air? You look a little warm, there."

Tooth nodded but she quickly stopped, realizing her vision was slowly starting to swim before her.

Uh oh.

Quickly, she made her way through the crowd to the stairwell of the frat house. She climbed the steps and stopped upon realizing that they seemed to be swishing under her.

_'Bad idea. Terrible idea,'_ she thought vaguely, trying her best not to freak out right there on the steps.

She clambered up the rest of the steps and forced herself out onto the balcony, desperate for some fresh air. Though the breeze did not clear her head it did sweep away all the smells from the frat house and the sweat on her brow. She hummed contentedly.

The sun was still lowering but the skies were beautiful.

Sighing, Tooth leaned against the railing of the balcony and stared out at the campus.

"Hi there,"

Jumping, Tooth turned her head a little too fast. Blinking, her vision refocused on a boy that had been sitting on the railing of the balcony the entire time.

_'How did I miss that?'_

"That's dangerous," she blurted, watching the boy's legs dangle over the railing in the air. There was nothing between him and the three story fall down.

He shrugged. His leather jacket reflected lights off of the motion, a green flannel visible underneath.

Tooth noticed his eyes before anything else. They were green like emeralds and twinkled at her.

"Do…do I know you?" Tooth wondered, unaware of how her words were slowly meshing together.

The boy grinned slyly. "What? And I thought I had a bad memory. You don't remember me, Toothiana?"

Tooth squinted.

The boy sighed and ruffled his red hair before hoisting himself to his feet, right there on the railing. Tooth gasped and stepped back in awe as he balanced effortlessly on the railing. Taking a bow, he shot her a dashing smile.

"Peter Pan, at your service, Toothiana."

Tooth gasped. "Peter! You went to Burgess High with me!"

Peter grinned, nodding. "Bingo!"

"Where's Wendy?" Tooth pondered. "I thought you were going to study in England with her…?" That had been the big news back in Burgess. She had even seen Wendy and Alice talking during lunchtime about their plans to study in England together. Bunnymund had joined their talks numerous times, but she couldn't recall Peter ever joining them.

Peter's smile faded and even with Tooth's muddled mind she could tell that she had breached a bad topic.

"She left. She changed." Peter stated simply, "And I stayed."

"Oh," Tooth answered, unsure of what to say. "Well…do you attend Mythos, now?"

Peter shook his head. "I don't go to school."

"Huh? Well what are you doing here, at Mythos?"

Peter's smile returned. "I'm looking for guys. Recruits, you could call it. And I've got something special all the Mythos kids want."

Tooth's eyes widened as she stepped forward. "What is it?"

"A secret!"

Tooth frowned. "Can't be_ that_ much of a secret if all the Mythos kids want it. C'mon, tell me!"

Tooth watched as Peter grinned slyly at her. The red head crept off of the ledge and swaggered over uncomfortably close to her, bringing something into her vision with a flick of his wrist. His hands were encased in thick, dark leather gloves.

Tooth blinked once, twice. "What's that?"

"I call it Dust."

Tooth frowned. "Dust? Like…dust from under a couch?"

Peter laughed. "Nope, more like dust from a fairy's wings or dust from a dream. Dust from a shooting star. It'll make you feel like you're flying, I promise. Here. I'll let you try some for free. Since we're old friends."

Tooth shook her head wildly and stepped away. "Try some...? Oh! That's- I…I don't do drugs, Peter." Even she was surprised by how soft and vulnerable her voice sounded. She had already made one mistake on the drinks earlier. She wasn't making another one!

Peter laughed at her like she told him a joke. "You've obviously been drinking like a sailor, Tooth. Alcohol's a drug. Besides, it's not a big deal. It's just a little Dust. Nothing like coke or speed or any of that other stuff. Dust is light, clean, and it gets the job done."

Tooth shook her head. Even with her vision spinning like crazy now, even with her words getting jumbled, she knew this was a bad idea.

"No."

Peter shrugged. "That's cool. I can respect that." Walking away, Tooth felt curiosity itch up her spine, the liquor making things hazy again.

"Why are you selling that stuff, Peter? Why aren't you going to school?"

Peter turned at that, his smile back.

"It makes you happy, Tooth. Real happy. Happier than you've ever been."

Tooth's brows furrowed. "Do you use it?"

Peter shook his head. "Nope. Don't need to. I'm already happy. I live wherever I want, go wherever I want, do whatever I want. No one tells me what to do. I'm free. You college kids? Hell no. You guys are being shaped into mindless drones for the workforce and you don't even realize it. You're letting them suck the youth out of you. You guys need the Dust more than I do. None of you are even happy. That's why you all go to parties like this and drink until you forget. Are you happy, Tooth?"

She tried to contemplate his words, his question to her.

Was she happy? Studying all the time?

"I never wanted to come to this party," she mumbled, "I wanted to see Jack."

Peter stretched out his hand once more. "You don't even need a party for this stuff, Tooth. You don't need alcohol or music or school, or even 'Jack'. This'll make you fly higher than any of that stuff. You wanna' fly?"

Tooth stumbled, staring at the powder in Peter's palm. It looked shiny and strange. Not at all ominous or evil like how all those anti-drug commercials made drugs appear to be.

"I just want to be happy," she mumbled. Everything was so hazy now.

"Give it a try, then. It won't kill you. What's the worst that could happen?"

A lot. Tooth knew that.

She knew better. She _knew _better. But if it could make her forget about her practices, her classes, her homework, that damn watch forever buzzing on her wrist, then…maybe...just once couldn't hurt?

No.

"Thanks Peter, but I'm gonna' go back downstairs now."

Peter giggled at her. "Scared? Here, just give it a feel."

Tooth rolled her eyes at his insistence before poking a few fingers into the powdered mound. "Happy?"

"Always. You'll be pretty soon, too."

Tooth frowned, pulling her hand away. "What?"

The redhead shrugged, lifting up his gloved hands. "You don't need to smoke or snort it to feel the high. Just touch is enough. Why do you think I'm wearing these?"

Tooth's eyes widened. "_What?!_" She shook her hand, trying to wipe the powder off.

"No use," Peter teased, "your skin's already absorbed it.

Tooth glared at him, infuriated. "Peter, Wendy wasn't the one who changed. _You_ did. Jerk!"

Peter's eyes twinkled as his old classmate stomped away. He didn't need to convince her.

The Dust would do that for him.

Tooth looked for a sink to wash her hand in. Touching that stuff without knowing what it was had been the worst idea. As if that crap was really potent enough to make her high through a touch! Yeah right...

She realized approximately twenty-three minutes into the party that Peter hadn't been kidding.

When the unexplainable feeling of euphoria hit her, Tooth grew too energetic to be scared. Trembling, she shuffled towards the dance floor.

She danced until her heels hurt and then danced some more. The floor slipped around beneath her feet, moving with the beat. Her thoughts were slipping out with the floor, all of it was flowing away. A bit of fear sparked within her and her last bit of reason warned her.

The Dust silenced it.

Tooth spun around the room with the crowds, losing sight of Blue and Puck and all the other dancers after a while. Her hand throbbed.

Bright blue eyes and white hair caught her attention from the corner of the room. The same ones that had been focusing on her since she came down from the frat balcony. Even with liquor and whatever Peter had given her in her system, Tooth could feel the eyes on her. More than once had she glanced over at the pale figure. She would always forget the face and wonder before looking back at the stranger. They were often approached by others but the stranger did not leave their corner of the room.

What were the features again? Hair so blonde that it may as well have been white, dark blue eyes. Skin as white as snow. Jack had lighter eyes but Tooth wasn't sure if maybe her vision was messed up or if she was indeed looking at her boyfriend.

"…Jack…?" she whispered, stumbling over to the figure.

"No," the stranger answered in a soft voice answered.

"Oh," Tooth mumbled, "thought you were Jack. You look like him."

"Who is he?" the soft voice asked again. The Dust was making the stranger's voice sound more heavenly than Tooth had ever imagined a voice could sound. It sounded like a voice that could pry all her secrets from her with a simple question.

"My boyfriend. Best friend. I love him_ so_ much. He misses me, y'know? I never have time, clock always ticking."

Tooth could not grab a full grasp on the person standing before her, but all she knew was that the stranger was beautiful.

Recognition sparked deep within Tooth's drug-addled mind.

"Oh! _You_. I kicked you in the hall before."

The girl stepped back a bit. "It's fine."

"Lemme' see your arm," Tooth insisted, cornering the girl.

"No, it's fine," the girl waved away the notion but Tooth was having none of it. She reached out and grabbed the white arm before inspecting it. Even with blurred vision she could see a faint purple bruise still marring the white skin.

"Sorry," Tooth tried, nuzzling the arm with a smile on her face, "m'so sorry. Forgive me?"

The girl seemed to have stopped breathing. A hand pushed at Tooth's head, forcing her away gently.

"It's alright," the girl insisted quietly. "I'm fine. But are you? You seem…like you're on something."

Tooth shrugged awkwardly. "Peter showed me his secret. Makes you happy. I touched it and now my hand hurts."

The DJ changed the song and a new beat thrummed in the air. Without so much as a goodbye, Tooth headed towards the dance floor once more, the Dust thrumming to the beat in her veins.

The stranger watched her go.

* * *

><p>Jack turned to Rudolph, tired of waiting. "She hasn't picked up her phone."<p>

Rudolph seemed to freeze under his roommate's gaze, scrambling for the right words. "Maybe she's doing something? I have a car. We can go hang out somewhere else if you want-"

Jack's phone buzzed. Quicker than lightning, he was on the line speaking. "Tooth? Tooth where are you?"

"…Jshhk…."

Jack's brows furrowed and he looked at his phone in confusion before returning it to his ear. "Tooth?"

"Jack," the voice came clearer this time, "Jack I'm…I'm really tired."

"Where are you?" Rudolph cowered at the sound of Jack's voice, but Tooth seemed strangely unaffected.

"Dunno'. Party. Dance team wanted me to go."

"Are you…? Tooth, what did you do?"

"A little, just a little. Mm, no I lied. A lot. Just a lot. Punch tastes bad."

Jack's throat closed up as worry filled him. Tooth didn't _drink_...did she...? "Are you hurt? Are you okay?"

"Mhmm. I was happy awhile ago, but now I don't feel too great."

"Tooth, listen carefully. I need you to tell me where you are so I can come get you. Is it an apartment? An event? A frat house?"

"Mhmm."

"Which one?"

"Frat. Smells bad."

"Where is it?"

Tooth rambled off the address and Jack echoed it to Rudolph, who was grabbing his keys and shrugging on a jacket.

"Tooth, stay where you are. Don't move. My roommate and I are going to come get you."

He could hear vacant talking and laughing on the other side before Tooth's voice returned once more. "Jack, I can't find my friends. I'm going to follow these other kids. They have a car. They'll take me home."

Jack could hear the other group hooting and hollering, laughing like crazy. No doubt they were all blasted drunk too. Jack felt his heart drop.

"Tooth, _no_. Don't get in anyone's car, I'm coming for you."

Tooth giggled before hiccuping. "But they're really nice. It's okay Jack."

"Tooth, don't-"

A click resounded and Jack turned on Rudolph. He wasn't too sure how his face looked, but Rudolph's expression filled with worry.

"Get your car started. We have to leave. Right. Now."

* * *

><p>Tooth had tried to follow the other drunk kids into their car, but the stranger stopped her.<p>

Tooth frowned at the pale hand on her. She wanted to go where the others were going! They were fun and nice to her and laughing. Just like old times. _North, Bunny, Sandy, Jack_-

"Hey, no. Stay with me."

With great hesitation the stranger forced herself to pull Tooth away from the car and closer to the sidewalk.

Tooth stumbled away from the car, ignoring the bleated protests from the drunken group. Looking up, Tooth glared at the stranger-that-looked-like-Jack.

"I want to go home," she pouted.

"Alright, but you won't get home in one piece with those guys. Stay here, I'll go find a sober frat guy to drive us."

As the stranger left, Tooth tried to follow blindly.

She didn't want to be left alone again! She missed Jack and her friends and Burgess and being truly happy, not fake-Dust-happy, and she just wanted someone to hold her hand.

Her mouth growing even drier, Tooth's head started to spin and she climbed up the frat house steps.

Her vision went dark and for a moment, Tooth felt weightless. Falling...no...flying...?

_'I'm really flying!'_ Tooth thought. _'Oh my gosh, Peter was right! I'm-'_

_**CRUNCH**_

Red flared out instantly across the darkness, and Tooth's head rocked as her mouth collided with the frat steps. A great crack resounded through the night air.

Screams and sound erupted around her, but in Tooth's head everything was numb and dimmed. Her lips felt raw and her head felt fuzzy. The pain was increasing exponentially as the numbness slipped away into horrifying realization.

Bringing her hands to her mouth, Tooth stood shakily and glanced down at the steps. There were small spots of red on the stone and bits of something else…what was…?

Oh.

A tooth.

Her fingers went cold as she continuously stared at the solitary tooth laying on the frat steps.

_'It's not real.'_

And yet there it lay, winking in the streetlight at her, shiny and red.

Her knees gave out on her and Tooth nearly threw up right there on the frat steps. Shaking, she glanced around at the steps.

Party goers were surrounding her and she could tell from all the whispers and shouts and boat shoes and heels closing in on her, but all Tooth could focus on were the other white fragments laying across the steps of the frat house.

Her…oh _god_.

A strange sound reached her ears. Almost like a keening, hitched wail. It took her a second to process that it was _her _making the sound.

A car beeped.

Something tingled in her chest and unsure why, she looked up.

There, hopping out of the car and heading straight towards the frat house was Jack.

He looked like a furious god from a painting, descending down to smite her. Tooth wasn't sure whether she should yell joyful praises or throw herself at his feet in apology.

He raced up the steps, his eyes sharp and hard. "What the hell were you thinking Tooth? Getting in a car with a driver whose been drinking? You could've gotten killed! You remember what happened to me behind the wheel all those years ago? Drunk drivers destroy lives. You know can't just put yourself in danger like that-!"

Tooth sobbed brokenly, grabbing at Jack's pant leg. His voice froze at the sound of her, the look on her face.

"Are you okay?" He leaned down and his face went whiter than Tooth had ever seen it go. He brushed her lips, pulling back red fingers. "Tooth, open your mouth. Let me see."

Tooth shook her head furiously, her vision blurring and feeling even sicker than before. She glanced at the step she hit face first, looking at the red staining and chipped white pieces. Her shoulders started to shake as she tasted gravel and teeth fragments in her mouth.

"Tooth, c'mon."

She squeezed her eyes shut tight, tears escaping through. She didn't run her tongue across her teeth, she just couldn't…

"Please, Tooth. For me."

Opening her eyes, she looked into Jack's icy pools. Though anyone else looking upon the scene might not be able to see past the coldness in them, she could see the love in them, the concern.

Slowly, she parted her aching lips and bared her teeth.

Jack's reaction made her stomach roll. He quickly tried to hide his worried expression, which made her feel even worse. She fixed her lips together to speak with his fingers still lingering on her jaw.

"Jack, say it's not bad. Say it's okay, please tell me my teeth are…"

But she already knew.

Just from the sound of her own voice, the clicking of her teeth when she spoke and the empty spaces that weren't there before

Jack tried shushing her, rubbing her shoulder.

It really _wasn't_ that bad but he knew how important teeth were to her. She was going to flip a lid if she saw what he was seeing. "It's just three off to the side, it's not…it's not tha-"

Jack stopped as Toothiana crumpled to the sidewalk, hiding her face in shame. She was gripping her hair so hard that her knuckles were turning white. Jack pried them out of the black strands and into his grip so she wouldn't hurt herself.

Looking around at the drunk bystanders, Jack scowled. What did they think this was, a circus? He scooped Tooth up and she quickly held onto him, hiding her face into his neck.

Together, they moved in the direction of Rudolph's car. Rudolph lingered behind to shoo people away and inspect the steps where Tooth had fallen.

A blonde came racing down the steps after them, getting in Jack's way. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"Get out of the way," Jack hissed, shouldering past her. She grabbed at him.

"She's my dancer! I'm in charge, so tell me what happened."

Jack turned on her, the daggers in his eyes pinning Tinkerbell where she stood. "I'll tell you what happened. You didn't do your job. 'Your dancer' was about to get in a car with an inebriated driver and was wandering around outside a frat house- alone and intoxicated- for god knows how long! I don't even know how I made it here in time before she left with them."

Tinkerbell paused in front of him. "That's-! I-"

"Move," Jack ordered again.

"Now hold up! I'm in charge here, so-"

"Get the_ fuck_ out of my way, or so help me-"

The icy tone made Tinkerbell moved quicker than she ever had before, allowing the white haired boy to brush past her and load Tooth into the car.

Rudolph raced back to the car. He glanced at Tinkerbell curiously before leaping into the driver's side. The engine revved and soon they were cruising onto the road.

Tinkerbell couldn't stop the remnant chills that raced up her spine as the car sped away into the warm night. What the hell? What had happened? She hoped that her dancer was alright and that the Dance team wouldn't get a bad reputation for this whole mess. It seemed strange to her. Why was someone as organized and studious as Tooth dating someone so rugged and mean? He seemed all bite, to Tink.

Peter sidled up beside her. "Woah...that guy sure had a nasty attitude, didn't he?"

Tinkerbell smiled and turned, glad to have the tall redhead nearby. Ever since he started hanging around Mythos her heart had been beating a little faster. "Sure did. I hope he's not forcing my dancer into dating him, he seems 'off'. Did you see what happened?"

Peter kept his face blank and shrugged. "Nope."

Tinkerbell lowered her shoulders. "Oh well. I'll get it all sorted out next practice. But I wonder-"

"Hey," Peter interrupted, "wanna' go back inside?" He lifted his arm up for her to hold. Gleefully, Tinkerbell held onto it. Together, they walked back to the frat house. She sidestepped around a girl on the steps.

"Watch it," Tinkerbell called. Her eyes bugged when she saw the stranger's reddened hands. "Ew! Throw those away! Why would you touch those bare-handed? Get a tissue at least."

Tinkerbell's cries were ignored. The girl watched the car turn the corner out of sight, her pale fist clenching around the teeth from the steps.


End file.
